Brooke Miller: Grow A Leadership Portfolio Through MCLC
By: Emma Alexander
Brooke Miller credits her grandfather for starting her family’s tradition of raising beef cattle with his career in the cow-calf business. Brooke is lifetime resident of #Agri-Ready Designated Dent County near Salem, where she and her family raise registered Angus and commercial cattle. Brooke invested in her leadership portfolio by participating in the Missouri Cattlemen’s Leadership College (MCLC). As an MCLC 2024 graduate, Brooke now applies a new perspective to advocacy, her beef business, and beyond. Trained agriculture advocates like Brooke benefit from gained confidence that emboldens them to take the next steps of industry leadership.
A Family Affair
Brooke and her husband, Jeff, are building their own Angus herd and are excited to expand the foundation of their business by purchasing land. They enjoy teaching the ranching lifestyle to their three-year-old son, Tripp. Brooke’s parents and brother also have beef herds and family cattle are located on farms across a few counties in the greater Rolla region. For everyone to balance off-farm careers and cattle, their cattle business is a family affair.
“We work cattle as a family. We move cattle as a family. Coordination is the key to working with family,” Brooke says. “To get everything done, we all have to show up for each other. We are a tight knit family, and it is nice to help each other out anytime.”
Dent County agriculture produces $112.1 million in value-added products, supports more than 2,000 jobs, and adds $188.6 million to household incomes according to the 2021 Missouri Economic Contribution of Agriculture and Forestry Study. Cattle, agriculture inputs, and forestry are the county’s top three industries. Livestock and poultry account for nearly 90% of the county’s agricultural sales according to the 2022 Census from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Dent County is #Agri-Ready Designated by Missouri Farmers Care. This voluntary partnership encourages and protects agriculture to secure the industry as a thriving component of the state’s future and promotes further agricultural economic development and agricultural literacy within the county.
Out of Office
With a passion for both agriculture and tax law, Brooke serves farms and small businesses as an Enrolled Agent. However, she doesn’t spend too much time in the office, as she prefers to meet new clients on their farms, which allows her to understand their farming operation. “Most people are more comfortable discussing business with you at their own kitchen table,” Brooke says. “Developing a sound relationship with a client is paramount. I truly enjoy working alongside clients who work hard to make an honest living.”
MCLC Class of 2024
Brooke is one of eight graduates of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Leadership College (MCLC) 2024 class, hosted by Missouri Cattlemen's Association (MCA) and sponsored by Merck Animal Health. This program included local engagement training, participation in Cowboys at the Capitol policy advocacy (an event held each Wednesday during Missouri’s legislative session), beef industry tours, and a visit with lawmakers in Washington D.C.
MCLC Takeaway: Understanding
“The variety of things we saw was amazing,” Brooke remembers about the MCLC industry tour. “I loved seeing the creativity of the cattle industry businesses that we visited. There is no single way to have a farm or ranch. The fact that we learned from each point of the beef supply chain makes me more informed about the big picture of the beef industry. I also learned more about how commodities work together to create the agriculture industry that we know. I can confidently advocate for agricultural policy with the knowledge I gained. The perspectives of some policy makers do not reflect the reality of the farm. I can now share a perspective of agriculture with them that is beyond my own.”
MCLC Takeaway: Relationships
“When you travel with a small group of people, you develop lasting bonds and relationships. Each member of our MCLC class came from different backgrounds and a different area of the state. Now we have a common purpose and many, many memories made,” Brooke shares. “Friendships that are lifelong connections make a difference. You’ll never be alone in agriculture if you get involved and you never know where a relationship may lead you.”
MCLC Takeaway: Confidence
“I have experienced the work of MCA as an organization and I feel equipped and confident to take an active role in our local cattlemen’s affiliate and engage with policy work in the future,” Brooke says. “I used to be an informed silent party, but your opinion doesn’t matter if you stay silent. I am ready to be involved instead of just watching from the sidelines.”
Brooke and Jeff are members of Missouri Farm Bureau and the Dent-Phelps Cattlemen’s Association, an affiliate of Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. Farm Bureau and Missouri Cattlemen’s Association are partners of Missouri Farmers Care. More information about MCLC can be found here.
Time for Taxes. Brooke offers this advice for farmers and ranchers for the 2025 tax season:
▪Organization is key. Keep all important business documentation together. Get an understanding of what is happening in your operation.
▪Long term planning. You must understand what is happening in your operation today to plan appropriately for the future.
▪Choose a trusted advisor. Build a business relationship with a service provider that complements your operation.
▪Communicate and share. Continually have conversations with family members so that everyone is informed, and potential conflicts don’t pile up at stressful times.
▪Most importantly, be proactive. This includes estate management and succession planning.
